Great Books on Writing

Monday, July 21, 2008

After a VERY relaxing day of Weymouth and getting all the work-related stress out of my system, I worked on a short story that fought me all night. It was a rewrite of a story I did several years ago, and it has potential, just needs to be rewritten. The story started going in crazy directions.Then I slept on it.In the morning, that short story still didn't go anywhere.But I pulled up another one---only about four pages or so, that I wrote 4 years ago. I had never finished it.Then all of a sudden, the story took off and I was just hanging on for the ride. First think I knew, this snobby sister showed up in the story, then a mother who swore that "the Russians are just going to nuclear us all to Kingdom Come." (story takes place in the 80s). Then there was this disgusting beach and...all of a sudden I realized this story was running me.has anyone out there had any interesting things like this happened---a story that was DOA you suddenly revived and it started going all different places? Let me know.

Hi all...I am writing from a wonderful writer's retreat. How great to get a chance to relax and enjoy.What I'm working on? Finishing up a collection of short stories (rewriting, polishing) Pounding out a draft of novel #3 (as much as I can get done) Working on a short non-fiction piece

Just arrived in town and found out that the place where we stay has bees living in the wall. Oh my! They've had to partition off one room, because bees were coming in through the vents....not a lot, I mean, not like a Stephen King movie or something...but we're okay. They're trying to save the bees and coax them out because there's a shortage of bees or something or other......and I've run into someone who seems to collect plastic bags. I find that very interesting....more to come....

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Okay, I lied.I did not blog.I didn't write.I have spent my time worrying about things like---possible work layoffs, my inability to find a date since the Reagan administration, and what the @#$@#$@# my wisdom teeth are doing. [yes, I'm 37, and I still have my wisdom teeth. They've decided to make an appearance. A painful one]

AT least, that's my excuse for not being more regular about writing. Julia Cameron in "The Artist's Way" has a good deal to say about the psychological happiness of creativity for creativity's sake--..but I was a slacker.

Therefore, I've set my goal to revise a collection of my short stories and start shopping it around by the end of this year.

Okay, so spare me the lectures about how I should have had that rite of passage--wisdom teeth removal-- when I was 17 or 21 and the roots of these buggers were no where near my facial nerve, which they are now......bottom line, they're still here. The doc says there's more of a risk taking them out then leaving them in...and since the pain has subsided, probably best to do the watchful waiting thing.

So that's my story---I was minding my own business, getting ready to get caught up on my blog, when all of a sudden---the teeth started their own conspiracy:

Wisdom #1 = "No you don't. No writing weekends for you at your super cool friend's place in Georgia. I want to give you pain. NOW! While you're driving! Lots of pain! Go to the ER--ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Wisdom #2 = "An ER in Charlotte at 9 p.m? She won't go. Oh hey, I want more of that Tylenol."

Wisdom #3 = "I just wanna... I mean (hiccup) I went over... I mean...what-what are we doing anyway? (wisdom tooth #3 is something of a lush)

Wisdom #1 = "Come on guys, this is our time to take over the mouth."

Wisdom #2 = "But there's no room!"

Wisdom #1 = "Oh, her mouth is big enough. Trust me."

Wisdom #3 = "You know... I love you guys... I really do... you are my best (hic) friends in the (hic) world... I just...hey...where am I again? What-what are we doing."

Wisdom #1 = "Fools. Fools."

Wisdom #2 = "She's playing Creedence again."

Wisdom #1 = "How did I get stuck with you guys. #4 was the lucky one. She got him out early."

Wisdom #3 = (singing) "Doot doo doo Looking out my back door" (hic)

I'll be back with more regularity.But first, answer this---does anyone have any favorite movies about writers? Tell me.D